Ask Nicky Hammond, what are the NPA doing about sewage outfall in the area they want closed off ????? Then ask her to name 1 (ONE) type of recreational fish that is endangered by DPI standards ????? Then ask her to show research where it is clearly stated that a rod and line causes damage ????? And then why should the NPA be taken notice of, and when are they going to hold a public meeting to explain it all.

WHAT AN EXPERIENCE! I just spent the worst hour of my life today. Had to wait for a late-running friend out the front of Newtown Station. The GREEN people i saw were horrendous. They are GREEN inside and out.........with envy. Please don't let these jealous, bitter people destroy your god given rights!

I would like the NPA to show exactly how recreational fishing is detrimental to the marine ecosystems. I have fished the Sydney and near south coast areas for approximately 54 Years and the fishing is at least as good as it ever was. Admittedly,in Botany Bay there are less Stingrays and no hairtail, but more jewfish and kingfish. I believe the reason for the missing hairtail is because of the development around the Bay (Airstrips and Container Terminals. The kingfish have improved markedly since banning of the too successful trapping methods used by professional fishermen. The jewfish improved courtesy of funds from fishing licences. With the rapidly growing population there is more pressure on supply for the pro's, however, in most cases they are probably the only primary producers who take without putting something back. Fish farming is the obvious solution. The issue that probably has the most influence on the proposal (for bureaucrats and politicians) will be the costs to coastal communities, holiday accommodation, bait, tackle,boating, fuel,Restaurants etc. The adoption of this proposal would also means another decent and respected pastime taken away from our children and grand children. Kids can do a lot worse in their spare time these days than go fishing with their mates yet the NPA would like to stop that. I wonder what our Anzacs would think of them.

The single biggest threat to marine biodiversity is when fishing trawlers tow nets through the water where thousands of baby fish and other marine creatures get caught and die before being tossed overboard to rot. The euphemism for this is 'bycatch' and means that for every legal fish or every kilo of prawns 'harvested' by a commercial trawler, many hundreds of small fish die in the process. Us recreational anglers have known about this for years and have been begging for commercial trawling to be banned in our estuaries. Now the NPA want to implement a Marine Park with exclusion zones for recreational fishers while this environmental vandalism on the part of commercial fishers continues unabated around its perimeter. In contrast, recreational fishing is extremely low impact as we selectively pluck single fish out of the water. Unwanted or undesirable catch is returned alive and overfishing is strictly controlled by bag and size limits. The ultimate evidence of this is Port Jackson, Botany Bay and Lake Macquarie. These fisheries were once in a very bad way yet when they were closed to professional trawlers, fish stocks rebounded remarkably. This is in spite of these areas being heavily fished by recreational anglers. Excluding recreational anglers through Marine Parks is NOT the answer as recreational angling and biodiversity are not mutually exclusive. Anglers and their families can enjoy their fishing while the fish populations thrive. And if you're wondering where the public will get their fish from, just a tiny proportion of fish commercially sold in Sydney is locally sourced. We recreational anglers are fed up with being unfairly targeted due to the neglect of the professional sector. We love the environment and want more than anyone to see the fishery protected from unsustainable abuse however banning us is not the answer.

Comment The National Parks Association plans for Marine Parks are, as usual, misleading emotional propaganda without scientific credibility. They offer no supporting facts or information as there isn’t any. Current Marine Parks have been instigated by stealth, lies and half truths in NSW and Qld and are just political tools. Scientists Bob Kearney, Zann, Tilzey and Starck offer a variety of real scientific information and papers that dispel this anti-fishing marine park agenda. Marine Parks are promoted to protect biodiversity. What a load of lies and propaganda. NSW has witnessed some of the worlds largest fish kills and marine resource environmental destruction. Prof Zann states that up to 50% of the inshore stock in NSW and south Qld gets destroyed by the diminishing environment so you would think that Ms Hammond and her environmental religion would target this real threat to biodiversity instead of banning kids and families fishing a popular beach or estuary. Sewage discharge and outfalls, siltation, habitat destruction of fish nurseries, toxic blue green algae, toxic runoff, dioxins and cyanide, feral plants and animals, exotic diseases and imports of third world country seafood, erosion are the problems not recreation fishing which is regulated. DPI Minister Macdonald has stated in parliament on 4 Dec 2008 the following: “The Hon. IAN MACDONALD: I have heard on the grapevine, so to speak, about the release of a National Parks Association report in one form or another. I have no intention of proceeding down this path. That has been my attitude and remains so.” I note that Marine Parks are situated in coalition electorates and evidence shows that the Port Stephens Marine Park cost the NSW ALP bigtime which I intend to continue that campaign. I also note Ms Hammond states that the NSW government will pay compensation. The tooth fairy is more believable as many businesses have ceased and gone broke with no compensation in the already established Marine Parks. Bob Smith TFP- I FISH I VOTE 5 Pacific Place Harrington NSW 2427 0265560338, 0402583743 sinali@optusnet.com.au

Who are this NPA mob? They sound like they are very anti-fishing. Does NPA stand for "No People Allowed"?

I agree with with bob smith,he has said it all.well said..

There has never been a species of marine invertebrate or fish made extinct by fishing, ever. Disagree Nikki? Name one?

Seems like the fanatics that said we were doomed (Y2K bug) have now discovered new ways to scare us again based on similar lack of science. I have the right to catch & eat fish at the moment. I have lost the right to walk my dog in most green places or ride a horse or 4WD in the wild lands I used to camp in & helped to keep "pristine" by pulling up weeds like lantana & bitou. It is people who are now being locked out of our wild places & waterways & I object to that. We must not lose our Common Law rights to use our wild places carefully. People who interact & use our resources understand them. They know the rules for sustainable usage & can educate other to behave in ways that do no damage & conserve those benefits for future generations. Lock something up for a thousand years & it will not be "pristine" when people are allowed back. Remember Jesus was a fisherman.

When will the greens understand that it is in a fishermen's best interest to protect the environment rather than damage it?? If the environment suffers, then our passion/hobby goes with it....why then would we want to do anything that will harm it?? Much bigger fish to fry out there than the recreational fishermen (most of whom are weekend fishos just killing a few hours). Your real fight is with the commercial fisherman..the greens are just hoping to gain a few easy victories while they can.